CORAL GABLES, FL — The City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Garden Club will unveil "Planting Pollinators", a new public artwork by Miami artist Xavier Cortada, at the Coral Gables Library Butterfly Garden, 3443 Segovia St., on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Commissioned through the City’s Art in Public Places program, Planting Pollinators is a hand-carved, hand-painted ceramic sculpture measuring 66 by 48 by 48 inches. Created to honor the Garden Club’s 100th anniversary, the donated artwork serves as both a visual landmark and an educational tool for the community.
The dedication ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m., followed by the unveiling and Flower Force activation at 10 a.m. Flower Force, a participatory eco-art initiative co-presented with the Cortada Foundation (www.cortadafoundation.org/flower-force), invites attendees to decorate pink flags with pollinator drawings and plant wildflowers beside them. At 10:30 a.m., Cortada will lead an artist talk titled From Object to Action: Social Practice, Public Art, and the Environment inside the library.
“Planting Pollinators is more than a sculpture — it is a community catalyst,” said Catherine Cathers, City of Coral Gables arts and culture coordinator. “By linking art, ecology, and public participation, it honors the Garden Club’s centennial while inspiring residents to protect pollinators and strengthen our natural environment.”
About the Artist
Xavier Cortada is an internationally recognized Miami-based artist whose socially engaged eco-art projects address climate change, sea level rise, and biodiversity loss. He has created more than 150 public artworks, installations, and participatory projects across six continents and is the only artist to have created works at both the North and South Poles. Cortada served as Miami-Dade County’s inaugural artist-in-residence, was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame, and is artistic director of the Cortada Foundation. Learn more at www.cortada.com.
Event Details - This free event welcomes residents of all ages to celebrate the Garden Club’s centennial and engage with art, ecology, and community.
Date: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025
Location: Coral Gables Library Butterfly Garden, 3443 Segovia St., Coral Gables, FL 33134
Schedule:
- 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. – Dedication Ceremony, Unveiling and Flower Force Activation
- 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. - Artist Talk with Xavier Cortada – in the Library Auditorium
- 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. - Children’s Craft in the Library "Caterpillar Necklaces and Butterfly Wreaths"- Free Pollinator Coloring Book
December 1 through 31, 2025 - In addition to the statue dedication, the Coral Gables Library will feature a historic display of the Coral Gables Garden Club’s 100 years of service in the City Beautiful.
About the Coral Gables Garden Club
The Coral Gables Garden Club is a not-for-profit organization whose sole purpose is to educate youth and the broader public in various aspects of gardening, horticulture, environmental issues, civic beautification, and floral design. Organized in 1925 by ladies who wanted to share plant knowledge and were committed to civic beautification. Althea Merrick, George Merrick’s mother, and Eunice Merrick, his wife, were among the founding members. Eunice Merrick was the Club's 2nd President. The organization continues this tradition and has several initiatives planned for the remainder of its centennial year.
